Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has pushed ministries and sectors for stricter control of transport activities in a bid to bring the number of fatalities from traffic accidents in 2014 to below 9,000.

At the National Committee for Traffic Safety’s meeting on October 3 to review traffic safety efforts undertaken so far and identify tasks for the rest of the year, Deputy PM Phuc, who is also Chairman of the committee, asked the Transport Ministry to improve regulations in the field, especially on the management of transport and the inspection of vehicles’ load capacities.

The ministry was asked to cooperate with the Ministries of Public Security and Industry and Trade to control the production and import of electric bikes and motorbikes in order to prevent the illegal transportation of non-authorised vehicles.

The Government official asked the Ministry of Public Security to expand the application of advanced technology to detect traffic rule violations.

From January-September this year, there were 18,697 traffic accidents throughout Vietnam, resulting in 6,758 deaths and 17,835 injuries. This represents a decline in the total numbers of cases, fatalities and injuries compared to the same period last year.

Forty-five localities reported fewer fatalities, with over 30 percent less traffic deaths recorded in Bac Giang and Bac Kan provinces.

However, the fatalities increase in 14 localities, while the major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as well as some key national routes such as Highways No.1 and No.5 continue to suffer from traffic jams.

Last year, 9,369 people were killed in 29,385 accidents.-VNA